Cubicle panel

ABSTRACT

A cubicle panel is disclosed wherein hangers underneath the panel are inserted into a frame and an upper end thereof is pushed upward and rotated, a magnetic catcher thereon is magnetically attached to the frame, and the panel is engaged to and/or disengaged from holes of a frame, such that cubicle assembly and disassembly are very simple, easy and less laborious because only both ends of the lower side of the panel are aligned and engaged to and/or disengaged from the holes of the frame, and the upper side of the panel is rotated and the panel is assembled and/or disassembled while both lower ends of the panel are inserted into the holes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cubicle panel and, more particularly, to a cubicle panel constructed to be easily and simply assembled to and disassembled from a cubicle frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Typically, cubicles are installed for effectively utilizing spaces and enhancing work efficiency in offices. Each cubicle is made by connecting partitioning frames to plates, and each neighboring frame is connected by a connecting apparatus.

Conventional partitioning frames are respectively and continuously connected by a plurality of cubicle panels to form an external appearance. The frames referred hereto include vertical and horizontal members defining a square module, and a plurality of reinforcing members horizontally disposed in between the vertical and horizontal members for reinforcing the vertical members.

Each cubicle panel (hereinafter referred to as panel) is mounted at the rear side thereof with hook members at both upper and lower distal ends and the hook members are in turn inserted into hitching holes formed at the vertical members by which the panels can be attachably and detachably assembled to the cubicle frames.

When the panels are to be engaged into or disengaged from the frame, the panels are vertically moved for engagement to and/or disengagement from the frame using tolerant gap in the hitching holes.

However, there is a drawback in the conventional cubicle panel thus described according to the prior art in that assembly of panels to and disassembly of same from a frame of cubicle partitions are not easy and simple because it is difficult to accurately and simultaneously engage the hook members disposed at both upper and lower distal ends of the panels to and disengage same from the hitching holes of the frames.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is disclosed to solve the aforementioned drawbacks and it is an object of the present invention to provide a cubicle panel, comprising a hanger disposed at a lower lateral surface thereof for being engaged into the frame of the cubicle, and a magnetic catcher disposed at an upper lateral surface thereof for being magnetically attached to the frame.

The magnetic catcher may include a case mounted at the panel and a magnet fixedly inserted into the case.

The case of the magnetic catcher may include a plurality of hitching pieces formed at the front circumferential surface thereof and slanted forward, and a plurality of hitching pieces formed at the back circumferential surface thereof and slanted backward, such that the case can be fixedly inserted into holes formed at the panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cubicle panel as seen from a backside according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a panel of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 1 coupled to a cubicle;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a hanger illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a magnetic catcher illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view where a case and a magnet are separated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view where a magnetic catcher is coupled into an upper hole of a panel; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are lateral views for illustrating a process of the panel of the present invention being coupled to a cubicle frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference with the accompanying drawings.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a panel (10) of the present invention includes a square plate (12), and upper and lower marginal members (14,14′) and left and right marginal members (16,16′) each formed by bending a margin of the square plate (12).

The left and right marginal members (16,16′) are coupled thereunder to hangers (18,18′) which in turn are hitched by being inserted into a vertical member of a frame (described later), and the left and right marginal members (16,16′) are coupled thereon to magnetic catchers (20,20′) magnetically attached to the vertical member of a frame (described later). A surface where the upper and lower marginal members (14,14′) and the left and right marginal members (16,16′) are formed is a back surface of a panel (10), and the back surface of the panel (10) is attached to a vertical member of the frame (described later).

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the panel (10) is coupled to a frame (26) of the cubicle comprised of a vertical member (22) and a horizontal member (24).

In other words, the hanger (18) mounted underneath the panel (10) is insertedly hung at hitching holes (22 a) each formed at a prescribed space along a longitudinal direction of the vertical member (22), and when an upper side of the panel (10) is pushed toward the vertical member (22), the magnetic catchers (20,20′) on the panel (10) are attached to a surface of the vertical member (22) by the magnetic force to complete the assembly of the cubicle. Preferably, the vertical member (22) is made of magnetic substance such as iron or the like to enable a magnetic attachment of the magnetic catchers (20,20′). If non-magnetic substance such as aluminum alloy, plastic, stainless steel or the like is used for the vertical member (22), a separate plate made of magnetic substance should be attached onto the surface of the vertical member (22) to enable the magnetic attachment of the magnetic catchers (20,20′).

Next, structure of the panel (10), hangers (18,18′) and magnetic catchers (20,20′) of the present invention will be described in detail.

The left and right marginal members (16,16′) of the panel (10) are formed thereunder with a pair of lower holes (16 a, 16 b), each formed at a prescribed space therebetween, into which the hangers (18,18′) are insertedly hung, and the left and right marginal members (16,16′) are formed thereon with upper holes (16 c) into which magnetic catchers (20,20′) are inserted.

As shown in FIG. 3, the hangers (18,18′) include a pair of insertion units (28,29) which are inserted into the lower holes (16 a, 16 b) of the panel (10), and a flange unit (30) having a prescribed thickness in order to maintain a prescribed distance from a surface of the vertical member (22) of the frame (26).

The hangers (18,18′) further include a slant insertion unit (32) vertically protruded from the plain surface of the flange unit (30) and extensively inclined downward so as to be inserted into the hitching hole (22 a) of the vertical member (22).

The pair of insertion units (28, 29) are formed with curved longitudinal ends (28 a, 29 a) and progressively narrowed toward the longitudinal ends (28 a, 29 a) so as to be easily inserted into the lower holes (16 a, 16 b). The pair of insertion units (28, 29) are also formed with hitching grooves (28 c, 29 c) at circumferential surfaces (28 b, 29 b) which abut on the flange unit (30) so as to be hitched and fixed at an inner circular surface of the lower holes (16 a, 16 b).

As a result, when the insertion units (28,29) of the hangers (18,18′) are respectively inserted into the lower holes (16 a, 16 b) of the left and right marginal members (16,16′) and are forcibly pushed, the inner circular surface of the lower holes (16 a, 16 b) is hitched the hitching grooves (28 c, 29 c) of the insertion units (28, 29), such that the hangers (18, 18′) are fixed thereat without being loosened out from the lower holes (16 a, 16 b).

Furthermore, the slant insertion unit (32) has a shape of a triangular protrusive lug (when seen laterally) gradually narrowing toward the distal end in consideration of rotational track thereof when the insertion unit (32) is coupled with the frame.

The hangers (18,18′) may be made of resin such as acetal plastics or the like by way of injection molding.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the magnetic catchers (20,20′) include a cylindrical magnet (34), and a cylindrical case (36) into which the magnet (34) is inserted. The magnet (34) may be press-fitted into the case (36), or may be fixedly inserted by way of an adhesive or the like.

The case (36) is formed at a front side thereof with a plurality of hitching pieces (36 a) slanting forward, each at a prescribed space therebetween, and a plurality of hitching pieces (36.b) slanting backward, each formed at a prescribed space therebetween. Each hitching piece (36 a, 36 b) is a resilient piece cut out from the surface of the case (36). As a result, when the case (36) is inserted into the upper hole (16 c) and is pushed with force, the backward-slanting hitching piece (36 b) is resiliently pressed by an inner circumferential surface of the upper hole (16 c) to allow the case (36) to be inserted into the upper hole (I 6 c) and to simultaneously allow the pressed hitching piece (36 b) to be restored with resilience.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, when the hitching piece (36 b) is restored with resilience, the inner circumferential surface of the upper hole (16 c) is secured between the hitching pieces (36 a, 36 b) of the case (36). In other words, the magnetic catchers (20, 20′) can be easily mounted at the panel (10) just by simply pushing and inserting the case (36) into the upper hole (16 c).

Next, the process of assembly of the cubicle panel (10) to and disassembly of same from the frame (26) will be described in detail in conjunction with the annexed drawings.

First, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when the hangers (18,18′) underneath the panel (10) are inserted into the hitching holes (22 a) formed at the vertical member (22) of the frame (26), and an upper end of the panel (10) is pushed and rotated as shown in FIG. 7, the magnetic catchers (20,20′) are magnetically attached to the surface of the vertical member (22) of the frame (10) to allow an upper end of the panel (10) to be fixed onto the frame (26).

FIG. 8 illustrates a state of the panel (10) being assembled to the frame (26). As shown in FIG. 8, the frame (26) and the panel (10) are assembled with a gap (C) therebetween, the gap being as large as the protruded thickness of the flange unit (30) of the hangers (18,18′) and the magnetic catcher (20).

Disassembly of the panel (10) is carried out by simply reversing the order of the assembly process. In other words, the upper end of the panel (10) is forcibly pulled down and the panel (10) is slightly lifted to allow the hangers (18,18′) underneath the panel (10) to be separated from the hitching holes (22 a) of the vertical member (22).

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention.

In the cubicle panel thus described according to the present invention, when the hangers underneath the panel are inserted into the frame and an upper end thereof is pushed upward and rotated, the magnetic catcher thereon is magnetically attached to the frame.

As apparent from the foregoing, there are advantages in the cubicle panel thus described according to the present invention. In comparison with the prior art where a panel is vertically moved and both ends of upper and lower sides are simultaneously aligned, and the panel is engaged to and/or disengaged from holes of a frame, the present invention's cubicle assembly and disassembly process are very simple, easy and less laborious because only both ends of the lower side of the panel are aligned and engaged to and/or disengaged from the holes of the frame, the upper side of the panel is rotated and the panel is assembled and/or disassembled while both lower ends of the panel are inserted into the holes. 

1. A cubicle panel, comprising: a hanger disposed at a lower lateral surface thereof for being engaged into a frame of a cubicle; and a magnetic catcher disposed at an upper lateral surface thereof for being magnetically attached to said frame.
 2. The panel as defined in claim 1, wherein said magnetic catcher comprises a case mounted at the panel and a magnet is fixedly inserted into said case.
 3. The panel as defined in claim 2, wherein said case of said magnetic catcher comprises: a plurality of hitching pieces formed at a front circumferential surface thereof and slanted forward; and a plurality of hitching pieces formed at a back circumferential surface thereof and slanted backward.
 4. The panel as defined in claim 3, wherein each hitching piece is resiliently lowered at an incline thereof when pressed, and when not pressed, each hitching piece is resiliently restored.
 5. The panel as defined in claim 4, wherein said resilient hitching pieces are formed by cutting out the case surface of said magnetic catcher. 